Pei Xu was the legitimate son of the Marquis of Xin'an. Handsome as a jade tree and exceptionally talented, he had won the emperor's favor and was without question the most distinguished young gentleman in the capital.
The daughter of the Chancellor of the Secretariat was his equal in status. They were only waiting for her coming-of-age ceremony before bringing her into the family as his bride.
Unexpectedly, a wild country girl showed up at their door with a token from an arranged marriage made before either of them was born.
The Marquis of Xin'an valued his word, so Pei Xu had no choice but to marry her.
But she was uncouth, knew nothing of poetry or romance, and did not appeal to him. He kept her at arm's length, and after years of marriage, not a trace of affection had grown between them.
Later, when the Chancellor of the Secretariat died and his daughter's family fell into decline, Pei Xu decided to take her into his household. When everything had been arranged and he informed his wife, she had nothing to say.
After all those years of marriage, she had finally done something to his liking, so he planned to spend the night in her courtyard.
But when he arrived, the place was empty. On her dressing table lay only a letter, held down by the jade token from their betrothal.
After reading the letter, Pei Xu was angry, but more than that, he felt relieved.
*
Three years later, Pei Xu was sent south to Jiangnan by imperial decree to oversee tax reform.
There, he encountered the wife who had abandoned her home years ago. But she had changed.
No longer timid and cautious, vulgar and shallow as she had been in his household, she was now bright and cheerful, graceful and natural. The school for girls she had founded was widely praised.
Everyone in the city, young and old, greeted her with a smile and respectfully called her “Teacher.”
Late at night, by lamplight, he turned the jade token over in his hands and thought of her lovely figure stepping off a boat beneath an umbrella. Perhaps he could forgive her this once.
When his assignment was halfway done, after much deliberation, he dressed especially well and nervously confessed his feelings to her.
Song Shiwei merely lowered her eyes, turning the pages of old books beneath the warm sun, and casually turned him down.
“Lord Pei, you are nobility. I have no desire to reach above my station. Please don't come again.”
“But we are husband and wife.”
“My lord, you jest. I have feelings for Dr. Li of Yong'an Hall. Everyone in the city knows it.”
*
Song Shiwei had been a refugee since childhood. When she was twelve, she saved Su Ran, and they shared a single steamed bun between them for three days.
Later, Su Ran fell ill and died. Before she passed, she pressed a jade token into Song Shiwei's hand.
“Go and see him for me. If he's a good man, marry him. If he's not, pawn the jade and use the money to live well.”
A Ran, I went to see him. He's a good man, and handsome too, but he's not one of us.
Su Ran is a lovely name, but it's time for me to be myself again.
#WeDidNotDivorce#
#TheMarriageCertificateSaysSuRanMarriedYou,SoWhatDoesThatHaveToDoWithMe,SongShiwei?#
Reader's Guide
1. Chasing-the-wife crematorium, 1v1, both leads are sexually inexperienced, happy ending
Blurb written on April 14, 2025.
Theme: Love of freedom and hope
